The APACHE, BELLE GROVE, PHILIP, and SIOUX remained in the Bikini area
overnight.
On 2 March the APACHE maneuvered slowly westward toward Enewetak
and the SIOUX continued its retrieval of buoys for Project 2.5a until about 2000 hours,
at which time it also headed for Enewetak.
The BELLE GROVE moored in Bikini
Lagoon at 0844 hours and the GYPSY reentered the lagoon approximately 4 hours
later. The PHILIP continued patrolling off Bikini until about 1900, when it entered the
lagoon and anchored.
About 2145 hours, the PHILIP got underway for Rongelap Atoll
where it evacuated personnel to Kwajalein.
The EPPERSON, LST-551, LST-762, LST-825, and the RENSHAW, all near
Enewetak on shot day, were joined on the morning of 2 March by the AINSWORTH,
BAIROKO, CURTISS, and ESTES.
At approximately 0823 hours, the LST-825 departed
Enewetak enroute to Japan. Late in the afternoon on 2 March, the BAIROKO, ESTES,
and LST-762 departed Enewetak for Bikini, arriving there on 3 March.
The LST-551
departed Enewetak on 3 March and arrived at Bikini the following day.
2.1.2 Shot ROMEO
When Shot ROMEO was detonated at Bikini Atoll at 0630 hours, 27 March, nine
of the ships were operating in assigned areas southeast of Bikini Atoll. They were:
AINSWORTH
BELLE GROVE
ESTES
APACHE
CURTISS
NICHOLAS
BAIROKO
EPPERSON
SIOUX
The GYPSY had departed Bikini-on 26 March and was enroute to Kwajalein when Shot
ROMEO was detonated.
The AINSWORTH, BAIROKO, BELLE GROVE, EPPERSON,
and ESTES returned to the Bikini Lagoon anchorage area early in the afternoon; the
CURTISS and the NICHOLASreturned late in the afternoon.
and the SIOUX began buoy retrieval operations.
Bikini while the SIOUX proceeded north.
The APACHE proceeded west of
About 1600 hours the EPPERSON departed
the lagoon to begin patrolling north of the atoll,
20
At midday the APACHE